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Public Notary, Paul K. Hubbs, writes to treasurer of the University of Washington Territory regarding salary due to Virginia Calhoun for teaching and issues regarding selections of land for sale for the schools' funds, March 24, 1863

There is due Mrs. Virginia Calhoun remaining unpaid for services as Teacher at "Preliminary School" the sum of one hundred and fifty eight Dollar, as evidenced by the due bill of the Principal Mr. A. S. Mercer. I invoke your aid to see that the amount due her be paid in such manner as you may suggest.

Mr. A.S. Mercer understands all about it, but she does not know whether he intends to send amount to her or for her to draw it. I suppose the latter course to be the proper one. Should she not have an order on you from President M Gill?

Yours truly Paul K Hubbs

As a matter of course the Land office at Washington could not approve or disapprove the action of the Commissioners - the office has nothing to do with the Commissioners. When the whole of the two townships are selected and the selection passed upon by the register and receiver, and the selections platted upon the maps of survey of the Territory, the register and receiver forward their report together with, certified copies of the acts of the Legislature in relation to it. The Commissioner of the Land Office at Washington, examines then the whole matter and forwards in one patent to the Territory tho quit claim of the U.S. and affirmation of the selection. I never knew that any action has been taken to procure patent or I should have counselled as to its impropriety.

In 1854, territorial governor, Isaac Ingalls Stevens, suggested that a university for Washington Territory be established and Congress passed an act reserving land for the school to sell to fund itself. The territorial legislature settled on Seattle as the setting for the school in 1858 but it was not until 1861 when appointed commissioners, Methodist minister Reverend Daniel Bagley, John Webster and Edmund Carr looked for a 10-acre site. Arthur A. Denny, Edward Lander and Charlie Terry eventually donated land for the school in downtown Seattle. As president of the commission and major manager of university land sales, Bagley faced several challenges from different individuals questioning the commissioners' authority in their actions. Common practice in the territories reserved lands for schools but did not sell the lands until the territory became a state. In this case, Bagley was authorized by the territorial legislature to sell the land but had not received federal permission to do so. Situated between 4th Avenue, 6th Avenue, Union Street and Seneca Street, the Territorial University of Washington officially opened on November 4, 1861 with 30 students. In 1862, the Washington territorial legislature incorporated the school and appointed a Board of Regents. Throughout the university's early years, the university consisted not only of college curricula but preparatory school curricula as well. The school also faced constant changes in administration, enrollment and financial support. In 1863, the school had to close due to lack of students. In 1867 and 1876, the school closed again, this time due to lack of funds. Throughout the late 1870s and 1880s, strong leadership from school presidents helped the university form a stable base of students and a strong reputation.

Asa Shinn Mercer (1839 - 1917) was one of the pioneers in the early days of Seattle. He was brother to civic leader, Thomas Mercer. Mercer was the first president of the University of Washington Territory from 1861 to 1863 and also its first and only instructor when the school opened in 1861. In 1864, Mercer traveled to the east coast to bring young women to live and work as teachers in Seattle. These "Mercer Girls" eventually married men in the predominantly male population of that time. He later served on the Washington State Senate. He also became a cattleman in Wyoming and served as Wyoming's Alternative Commissioner at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

Paul K. Hubbs (1800-1874) was a public notary in Solano, California.

Virginia Calhoun taught with Asa S. Mercer when the University of Washington first opened its doors in 1861.

There is due Mrs. Virginia Calhoun remaining unpaid for services as Teacher at "Preliminary School" the sum of one hundred and fifty eight Dollar, as evidenced by the due bill of the Principal Mr. A. S. Mercer. I invoke your aid to see that the amount due her be paid in such manner as you may suggest.

Mr. A.S. Mercer understands all about it, but she does not know whether he intends to send amount to her or for her to draw it. I suppose the latter course to be the proper one. Should she not have an order on you from President M Gill?

Yours truly Paul K Hubbs

As a matter of course the Land office at Washington could not approve or disapprove the action of the Commissioners - the office has nothing to do with the Commissioners. When the whole of the two townships are selected and the selection passed upon by the register and receiver, and the selections platted upon the maps of survey of the Territory, the register and receiver forward their report together with, certified copies of the acts of the Legislature in relation to it. The Commissioner of the Land Office at Washington, examines then the whole matter and forwards in one patent to the Territory tho quit claim of the U.S. and affirmation of the selection. I never knew that any action has been taken to procure patent or I should have counselled as to its impropriety.